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Post date: Dec 14, 2020 8:8:47 PM

December 13, 2020 Homily by Fr. Karl Schray CHRIST’S WITNESS

Advent calls us to look directly at the world’s brokenness,

to see the plight of the hungry, the poor and the suffering.

Yet it is Rejoice Sunday, and we know that Jesus is with us!

But what is our role? What should we do here and now?

Our example comes from John the Baptist, who refuses to claim

to be the Messiah. To the question,

‘who are you, and what have you to say for yourself?’

We answer, “I am the voice of hope: the day of the Lord is coming.”

John the Baptist’s role was to be a witness to speak for the light.

The light in question was Jesus. John proved to be a courageous and

effective witness. Jesus still needs witnesses. Fortunately, there are still

people who witness faithfully and at considerable personal cost.

A priest tells how in the 1990s he made a visit to China.

While there he met an elderly couple, who were both doctors.

They had studied together at medical school, fallen in love, and married.

She was a Catholic, he was not. She wanted to convince him

that he should join the Church, but he did not wish to be baptized.

A year later they had a child.

During one of China’s political persecutions, the husband along with other

intellectuals was arrested and sent to a labor camp. The separation was

difficult for his wife who had to work long hours at the hospital

during the day and care for her son at night. In addition to her loneliness,

she was under pressure to divorce her husband and renounce her religion.

But she refused. Every night after she returned home, she and her son

knelt to pray and ask God for strength to endure the difficulties.

Eventually, she heard that her husband and the others

would be released. When the day came, she and her son went to the

railway station where they were the only family members on the platform to

welcome the men.

Deeply moved, her husband took instruction in the Catholic Faith

and was later baptized.

His wife bore witness to the light of Christ.

Now it is our turn. Share your love and live your Faith.

A good life is a strong and effective witness and

is a proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.